Subaru's Midsizer Gets Much-Needed Improvements

Given that the outgoing Subaru Legacy has been at the bottom of midsize sedan sales for the past several months, a new model couldn't come soon enough. The 2015 Subaru Legacy made its debut at the 2014 Chicago auto show, carrying just a few of the design cues previewed by the concept version in L.A., along with a host of improvements and new features.

The styling of the production car has been toned down significantly from the concept version, but the "nosecone" front end and hexagonal grille have survived the concept stage. That grille houses a new Active Grille Shutter system on 2.5i models, which contributes to a 10-percent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency over the outgoing model. The 2015 Legacy bears little resemblance to the concept in the rear, with the C-shaped taillights ditched in favor of more traditional horizontal pieces. Size-wise, Subaru says the new Legacy maintains a similar footprint to the outgoing car, but gains 1.6 cubic-feet of cabin space. Also improved, according to Subaru, is visibility, with a more raked windshield pulled forward by 2 inches at the base, high seating hip points, new front quarter windows, and door-mounted side view mirrors.

There aren't many surprises when it comes to the 2015 Legacy's drivetrain lineup, save for the fact that a Lineartronic CVT is the only transmission available. The FB-series 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder returns with 175 hp (up from 173 hp) and the same 174 lb-ft of torque. Though peak torque remains the same, it's delivered over a broader rev range. The four-cylinder is offered in 2.5i models, which come in Standard, Premium, and Limited trim. The 3.6-liter flat-six also returns in the 3.6R Limited trim, producing the same 256 hp and 247 lb-ft as last year's model. All-wheel drive is still standard on all Legacy models. Subaru estimates that 2.5i models will achieve 26/36 mpg (city/highway), while the 3.6R model is estimated at 20/28 mpg, an improvement of 10 percent over the outgoing model. A quick-ratio electric power steering system replaces the old hydraulic setup to help reduce fuel consumption.

Subaru revised the geometry and damper tuning on the 2015 Legacy, and added the Active Torque Vectoring system used on the new WRX and STI. That feature is an evolution of the Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) stability and traction control system, and can apply brakes to the inside front wheel for more neutral handling. Also aiding cornering ability is a new aluminum hood, which reduces weight over the front wheels. New Steering-Responsive Foglights help illuminate corners, and if more lighting is needed, HID headlights are now standard on 3.6R models.One thing Subaru engineers focused on for the 2015 Legacy was NVH. The four-cylinder engine has received numerous enhancements to make it quieter, and liquid-filled engine mounts help keep vibrations and noises in the engine compartment. To hush the noise level in the cabin, an acoustic glass windshield is used, along with thicker panels in key locations like the floor and inner fenders. In addition, more foam insulation and floor damping material is used.

Apart from being quieter than before, the Legacy's cabin is also larger. Total passenger volume stands at 104.6 cubic feet, a gain of 1.6 cubic feet over the outgoing model. That extra space results in more shoulder, hip, elbow, and leg room, according to Subaru. Cargo volume measures 15 cubic-feet, a slight improvement from the 14.7 cubic-feet of the previous model. More room is available when the standard 60/40 split folding rear seats are folded down.Other changes to the interior include a new design that Subaru says "highlights horizontal themes." A two-binnacle gauge cluster faces the driver, and features either a 3.5-inch central LCD screen or 5.0-inch display on cars with the EyeSight suite of safety features. Soft-touch materials are used throughout the cabin, and thicker cushioning graces the armrests and center console. A new infotainment system with a 6.2-inch touchscreen is front and center, featuring Subaru Starlink connectivity with Aha and Pandora streaming radio integration, Bluetooth hands-free capability, a standard rearview camera, iPod integration, and USB and auxiliary inputs. The touchscreen display utilizes multi-touch functionality, and like many smartphones and tablets offers swipe and scrolling gestures. Navigation is available on Premium and Limited trim levels, and also offers voice command recognition.

Safety was another area on which Subaru engineers focused. A new rollover sensor can deploy side curtain airbags if a rollover event in imminent, while a new front seat-cushion airbag is designed to keep passengers in place in a frontal collision. A new rear radar system comes standard on Limited trim levels and is available on the 2.5i Premium. That system offers Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert functions. In addition, Subaru's EyeSight driver assistance package is offered on Premium and Limited trim levels, and includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking, and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning systems.The Subaru Legacy has always been the alternative choice in the midsize sedan class, and it doesn't look like the automaker is aiming to change that with the 2015 model. It's not nearly as sexy as the concept, but on paper, the 2015 Legacy sounds like it has a lot going for it. We'll find out if it can turn around the nameplate's downward sales trend when it arrives in dealerships this summer.

Obviously, it does not look as good as the concept, but it looks better than any reasonably priced competition, imo. So does the 2014. Most importantly, it may be the safest car available in any class, and you can get it for not much over 30, I'm guessing. For a parent looking for a car for their child, how do you justify buying anything that isn't Top Safety Pick +??

From the comments that I'm reading most are not Subaru owners. SO if you don’t own a Subaru, don’t embarrass yourself by leaving bad comments:) This is a very nice car, much needed inprovements over the old design. I already have one preordered, bad winters, bring it on:)

PS, I already own a big ass 4-wheel drive pickup, our 2012 Outback smokes it in bad weather. again have to own a Subaru before you make bad comments:)

I was glad to hear they are dropping the outdated 5 speed auto with the 3.6. I think the CVT will make this a much better engine, although I think they should've squeezed some more horses and torque out of it.

Major disappointment: the hazard light button, it's just not BIG or RED or CENTRAL enough in the dashboard. For something 90% of people will NEVER use in 10 years of ownership...they should make it at least as big as a boxing glove fist. So you can PUNCH it.

My wife's got a 2010 Forester, which we like. It's been great in the winter, is versatile, and has been very dependable. Our local dealer was easy to work with. Now if Subaru could just make a sedan that doesn't look like an amalgamation of the industry's most boring-looking sedans, I might be tempted to buy one. I was hoping this would look more like the concept, but Subaru chose to water down the design. On the upside, at least it doesn't look as bad as the previous model.

Once upon a time, car magazines not only kept the enthusiast community informed, they also advocated on their behalf. An automobile needed to be more than just a practical conveyance they said - it should engage the driver in a man-machine relationship that makes "getting there" half the fun. Cars that encouraged driver participation with communicative steering, responsive brakes and a willing gearbox were celebrated, while those that isolated the operator from his machinery and the road were to be shunned.

So it's pretty sad when storied titles like Motor Trend have (apparently) thrown-in the towel and are accepting the demise of the manual transmission with barely a whimper. In your report on the 2015 Legacy, "There aren't many surprises...save for the fact that the Lineartronic CVT is the only transmission available." was the extent of your outrage.

Sure, modern realities have stacked the deck against manuals. Our roads are increasingly congested. The automobile has been turned into a mobile office space. Mileage dictates require removing the human element from the operational equation. Kids no-longer care about levers and pulleys and gears - they're too busy with on-line gaming and social media. Few even know how to drive a stick!

But to some extent, the vanishing manual has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The last two times I've purchased stick-shift cars, the salesmen actually tried to talk me out of it - probably because they didn't have any on their lots and were afraid of losing a sale. And the few models still available with manuals (not including performance cars) are typically saddled with base engines and base interior trims. The only available option on my stick-shift Mercury Milan was floor mats! No wonder the take-rate for manuals is so low.

Motor Trend should recognize that if automobiles are reduced to nothing more than generic transportation appliances, functioning with minimal "driver" involvement, there will be little need for your publication. Consumer Reports will suffice.

Just saw the Legacy concept at the Philly International Auto Show tonight, where as the concept does look better in person than it did in the pics of it a few months back, the Legacy pictured in this article looks down right plain Jane, like it was the wrapper the concept came in. Granted sometimes the car companies really need to show the concept in various colors to focus groups to determine which color the car looks best in, because sometimes they pick the worst color combos available for the press kits (ie the peachy color the 1st gen Olds Aurura that looked better in every other color, 1st gen Murano in with the hideous maroon and beige two tone interior) which turn people off until they see them on the road.

I happened to love the Aurora after seeing it in light metallic blue and the Murano in silver and black.

To me -- It's both refreshing and revolting. Refreshing is the CVT is now in the 3.6L flat-6 engine, thus better fuel economy. Also, the interior looks more upscale. In between -- the CVT is the transmission that some like to hate. And styling -- it's always going to be subjective. I know it's a bland style, but Subaru doesn't win with style. They're function over fashion. However, if a driver's used to it, then the driver's going to be comfortable with it. Subaru has had this transmission for quite sometime. Revolting -- you would think that Subaru would use the 2.0L Turbo Flat-4 in the Forester XT and WRX would be there. Remember, there was the Legacy GT back in the 2010-2012 models with the Turbo Flat-4. I guess Subaru had poor sales with the Legacy GT (I would think that it would be a "grown up WRX" or "WRX would more rear seat room") The Legacy GT has the 6-speed manual at the time. However, I'd like to see the 2015 Legacy work just like new 2015 Subaru WRX with both the 6-speed manual and new CVT.

This car is very disappointing to me. I was hoping that Subaru would take the next step beyond building vehicles that are reliable and have brilliant AWD driving dynamics. I could even deal with the carry-over powertrains (although upgrades are long overdue), but there is no way that I could ever convince my wife that any of these things actually take priority over how this "thing" looks! Unfortunately for Subaru, this is how the vast majority of consumers think: men look for hp and performance numbers (also appearance to some extent) and women look first and foremost (and sometimes only) at appearance (sorry for the stereotypes but....). This car fails miserably based on the last criteria! Why Subaru doesn't realize that "design sells volume" is beyond me. They should just overpay and steal a designer from a successful design team like other car companies do when they start building crappy looking vehicles and lose market share!

So I had a second look at the Legacy Concept, then I looked at this car, then back at the concept, then this car again. What was Subaru thinking and who authorized this thing to be released? This is such a disappointment I felt compelled to comment. The WRX's transition from the concept was ok if not remarkable. You would have thought that Subaru would have taken a bit more initiative especially in such a hotly competitive midsize sedan segment. This is NOT ok. Infact there is absolutely nothing I can vouch for in this 'refresh'...This thing is already old even before coming out. I mean the greenhouse looks almost identical to the car it replaces looking at the first pic! Eww. Just ewww. That concept was mean looking, had bulges in the right places, and design elements that could have been firsts for it's segment, and that's exactly what Subaru should have maintained for 2015. If you want sharp, take a look at the new 200. Smh.

It looks very boring. Compared to the Ford Fusion styling, this Subaru is nothing. It's a shame, but Subaru just won't take any risks in styling.

At this point in the game, these are all economy cars that offer the same services, so the unique characteristic that will sell a lot is the styling of the car, and nothing more. The only exception to that rule is the boring Toyota Camry. Unfortunately, the styling of this new Subaru is just bad.

Hey, what can one say about confidence in motion. Maybe Subaru will have debut a sport edition to make one feel even more confident driving this ugly duckling. I guess there always a niche market not concerned about the look of their personal vehicle...confidence in motion, yea?

Subaru created one beautiful and sexy concept and then completely threw it away. I just don't think they want to take risks like the recent Hyundai or Kia products but rather, want to play safe like Toyota in producing the new Corolla. Too bad. I was waiting for that concept to become production...

There's absolutely nothing new and unique about this new car's styling. Just a bunch of design clichées taken from other cars, all of which are last week's news. The car has no personality nor has it any presence, and it looks old

already. Too bad, because underneath the skin is one of the greatest technological combinations of hardware available. Subaru make nice and often boldly styled concept cars but consistently lose their balls when it comes to producing them.

Harsh bunch on here. It's not a pretty as a Mazda 6 or even an Accord, but it's pretty nice. And if they hit 28/36 with AWD, they've really done something. 4-cyl power is about the same as everyone else, so it'll run mid-15s with a sub-7-second 0-60. Not bad for a grocery-getter or all-weather commuter. It is a monumental improvement over the outgoing car, which I never considered due to it being ugly as a rock. This one goes back on the list,

I don't know why Subaru feels the need to remind everyone that their design team has hands that grow out of their a$$es. Hey, it's not like that's news. They just cannot (or maybe just refuse to) create a beautiful, graceful vehicle. Everything reminds me of other cars. The grille is shaped just like the one on the new Genesis. The headlights are reminiscent of the new E-Class Merc. The taillights are very similar to those on the new Mazda6 (although admittedly far less attractive). Everything in between is a sheer mess. I do have to say though that at least the interior layout became somewhat more organized (baby steps). Still, it is very obvious that the designers are all hung up on Geometry. Everywhere you look - you see shapes. Rectangles, squares. Nothing flows. There is no grace you would see in other cars. Maybe, after all, that is the whole point of Subaru's cars. It's all about business and shuttling people around, traveling from point A to point B without getting stuck in between. Style has obviously been relegated to the bottom of this automaker's list.

Maybe I could get over Camry looking interior and Fusion/Genesis looking exterior if Subaru would man up and put Turbo 4 from Forester into Legacy GT and boost it to 280HP. I would even sacrifice manual to make it a better business case for Subaru Japan. This update is way too conservative to say the least. It will not bring in new customers or convince existing customers to upgrade.

I feel bad for car designers. No matter what they do, people aren't happy with how the car looks. Either they try to make it look different and every thinks it's ugly, or they try to play it safe and everyone complains that it's plain and looks like everything else. Also, if everyone knows that Subaru's productions models consistently look nothing like the concepts, why are you surprised? You should expect it by now.

Well despite all the complaints about this car. This will be the only vehicle in the segment with torque vectoring awd. This may very well be the best handling midsize car you can get for 32k or less. I'm excited to see what the reviews of this vehicle yields.

Hey, not that bad, right. Actually I am waiting for Outback. For Outback, these improvements are impressive, especially the interior and eyesight. Now the interior looks like a modern car, at least practical, soft and elegant. For eyesight, it is provided on the premium trim while it could only be chosen on the top limited trim before, which makes me feel very comfortable.

I owned a 2005 Legacy 2.5GT Limited with a 5M. With an intake, a chip, and exhaust it put 280 horses to the wheels. It was diamond white and it looked fantastic. It was the fastest, best handling car I ever owned. I got compliments on it everywhere, and it didn't look like other midsize sedans. I traded it in with 200,000 miles on it. Sure, it guzzled premium like it was the 70's again, but I drove it with a heavy foot.

What in god's name is this derivative hunk of metal? A Taurus from the front, an Accord from the side, a Focus from the back, and the interior....where do I begin? Sad. Just Sad.

Well said......I also miss the days of my three manual tranny cars, but you're right, I did have to take the last one with base engine.....at least I could get the highest trim. I wouldn't be surprised to see the stick gone altogether in ten years save for sports cars or outright econoboxes.....not enough people drive them anymore to make offering them feasible.

@Billy SouI have a 2005 Legacy Gt (turbo) with 240 horsepower and it is the best car I have owned. But there was a flaw with the turbos that failed in most cars. They put a small filter (banjo bolt) in the oil feed line that restricted oil flow to the turbo causing failure. Mine failed at 38,000 miles and they replaced the turbo under a 'goodwill warranty' even though it was out of warranty, cause I stated that I found online many people with the same issue and had info to back it up. The filter (banjo bolt) has been removed and it runs great. Oh, yeah I do have an automatic, though they don't offer the turbo in the Legacy anymore, just the WRX manual turbo. Still love my car!

They just tested a 2014 Legacy with the same 2.5 and CVT. 0-60 in 8.8 and the 1/4 in 16.8 @ 84 mph. Don't know where you're getting sub-7 seconds and mid-15s. The Accord and Altima can do that from their 2.5s, but not this Subie.

@MiG33 Oh so very true about the lack of HP. No turbo is probably to keep cost down but gee at least offer it as an option to make potential buyers give it a second look. As it stands this is just going to be an "also ran sedan".

@Kvnceleste I see many people saying that this design is not that bad because it's better than its predecessor, but that's like saying that Ellen DeGeneres is prettier than Rosie O'Donnell. In my opinion, Subaru has to set its sights higher. It needs to compete with Optimas and Mazda6's of the world, not with itself, in order to stay relevant.